Shuttle feeler with weft cutter for replenishment looms



Dec. 1, 1953 v. Dlvl-:K 2,661,027

SHUTTLE FEELER WITH WEFT CUTTER FOR REPLENISHMENT LOOMS 2 Sleets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1951 INvEzyjoR Vlodlslav Dwlsek BY @w M ATTORNEY v. DlvEK Dec. l, 1953 SHUTTLE FEELER WITH WEFT CUTTER FOR REPLENISHMENT LOOMS Filed March 2o, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Vlodislov Dlvnsek IIIA upm *WWW ATTORNEY Patented Dec. l, 1953 SHUTTLE FEELER WITH WEFT CUTTER FOR REPLENISHMENT LOOMS Vladislav Divsek, Brno, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Prototypa narodni podnik, Brno, Czechoslovakia, a corporation of Czechoslovakia Application March 20, 1951, Serial No. 216,614

Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia March 23, 1950 Claims. (Cl. 139-267) l My invention relates to bobbin changing automatic looms and more particularly to devices furthe control of the shuttle position and for cutting the weft thread before replenishing.

In mechanical weaving looms with automatic weft replenishment it is important to prevent the formation of unsuitably long weft thread ends susceptible to be seized and broken by the moving parts of the loom and carried into the shed which would result in a defect of the woven fabric.

In order to eliminate this drawback a special device has already been proposed, serving both for the control of the shuttle position before replenishment with a full bobbin and for severing the weft thread on a specially suitable place, i. e. in the common gate in the shuttle wall serving for penetration of the weft feeler controlling the amount of weft on the bobbin. The severed end of the weft thread is easily carried by the ejected bobbin into the waste container and the other end emergingr from the selvedge of the fabric is held by this device and is drawn out of the reach of the warp threads.

The said device, though being satisfactory in this respect, causes, especially when the shuttle boX is not correctly adjusted, a relatively rapid depreciation of the wooden shuttle which is worn especially on the edges of the control gate. This is obviously due to the considerable inertia mass of the control feeler of the said device, the weight of the feeler, relatively high in itself, being increased by the weft cutters attached to it and by the weft gripper and their linkage and the driving pawl.

In order to eliminate these drawbacks mechavnisms have been proposed which are provided with a special control feeler without cutters and ywithout thread gripper to keep their weight low,

these being placed in another place. Such mechanisms, however, cannot provide the advantage of the above described cutting of the weft ends.

The object of the present invention is not only to eliminate the drawbacks of the known devices but also to reduce still more the mass of the device, to simplify its design and to reduce the front dimensions of the cutting feeler.

According to the present invention all these requirements are satisfied by my new device in which the control feeler with the weft cutters forms a compact unit telescoped in the shuttle, feeler.

My new device presents in addition tov the aforementioned features the advantage that the control cutting feeler has a negligible weight of about 10% of the weight of the known devices and also very small front dimensions so that a much smaller gate is sufcient for the control of the shuttle position whereby weakeningof the shuttle wall is reduced tothe least possible extent. My new device also permits the use of a substantially weaker feeler loading spring whereby wear to the shuttle caused by the feeler is reduced. Owing to all these'circumstances the life of the shuttle will be independent from the function of the control and. cutting mechanism and the shuttle will havea life equal rto that of a shuttle in normal weaving looms.

The said and other objects of my invention will be more fully understood from` the following specification when read'with the accompanying drawing lin which one embodiment of my invention is illustrated.

In the drawing Fig. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my new controland cutting' device in a position closely before the' working stroke, the shuttle being in correct position in the shuttle box,

Fig. 2 shows a plan Vview thereof,

Fig. 3 shows a partial cross section along line :tsac3 of Fig. 1 illustrating the drive for the weft cutter,

Fig. 4 shows a cross section through the weft cutter in operative postion along line ari-x4 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation similar to Fig. l, partly in section, illustrating the device inoperation when the Vshuttle is not in proper position in the shuttle box,

Fig. 6 shows in `enlarged scale a longitudinal section of the'front portion of my control and vcutting device namely of the front end'of the shuttle feeler and of the weft therein, p

Fig.l '7 shows an end View of the cutter in the cutter mounted -direction of Yarrow x7 in Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 shows a cross section through the weft cutter in non-operative position along line azi-r4 of Fig. 6.

The rsame reference characters indicate the same parts in all figures ofthe drawing.

Referring to the drawing and especially to Figs. 1 and 2,' I have shown a lay I of a bobbin changing automatic loom with the customary front and rear shuttle box walls 2 and 3, respectively, between'which the shuttle 4 is situated in correct position. The shuttle 4 has a slot 5 in its front wall and said slot is adapted for in a longitudinal slot 29 of the push rod 2'I- lim-V iting the axial displacement of` the feeler 9 andsecuring the feeler 9 against angular movement within said push rod 2 I. 2'I holds the feeler S in its most. out. jutting position shown in Fig. 1. This telescoping unit is jointedly connected in any suitable mannerr to the said arm 32 for example by the sleeve 3!)A which is articulated by the pivot 30 tonsaid arm*- 32 and is secured upon the push rod 2I by the units 2,9 against axial displacement.

The tubular front` end of the; shuttle: feeler` 9 houses telescopically a. weft cutter which'is composed ofthe outer sleevelike member 1 and the essentially cylindrical innerY member. I3. The saidv member I isprovidecl at itsfront end with two diametrically opposite' slits 8 (see Figs. 4, 6, 7', 8') and is mounted in the shuttle feeler 9 for a limited axial but` not angular. displacement. To: this effect the sleeve member 'I is provided with a projection I0 (Figs. l and 2) whichl en gages a'. longitudinal slot II in the front end of theshuttle. feeler 9.'. The effective length of said slot I`I cooperating with said projection II). may bev adjusted by an. abutting ring I2.. However. as'shown inA Fig. 6, the projectionsuch as a screw I0 may be provided. in the' feeler 3. and thel cooperating slot. II in the. sleevemember 'I.

Within the sleeve 'I forming'the' outer member of the weft cutter is rotatably but notslidably in axial' direction mounted the inner cylindrical member I3: of. the weft. cutter. Thel rear portion I6 of the member I3y ts into the tubular shuttle feeler 9" and the forward. portion thereof is forked as illustrated so that the inner cutter member I3 will be resiliently housed in the-outer member I. The inner member I3` is provided at itsfront end with a gap. I4 adapted toregister and to cooperate with the slits 8 of the outer member I in a manner whichl will be fully described` hereinafter. A buffer' ring or flange t5 is attached to the front end of the inner.v member I31and protects thefront edge ofthe outer member '1. Saidl buiferring or flange I5' which comes into contact with the shuttle 4 is preferably rounded to prevent or atleast reduce any possible damage tothe shuttle.

Theslits 8 in the sleeveI andthemouth ofthe gap4 I4 of' the insert are of substantially equal shape and" in the inactive position of thev weft cutters, formed by the said elements I and' I-3, they-- are aligned, as may be seen from Figs. 6 and 3, so that the Weft'thread 6y passes freely through the cuttersY (Fig 7). As already mentionedV the functional movement of the weft cutters is provoked by rotation of one. ofi their elements, in. this case: I3,.relativelyfto the; other element, i. e. the sleeve 'I. Thus,.to` obtain. the required cutting and gripping actiongof, the. weft cutters these have-to bel provided withv adequate cutting and gripping means and with amecha.- nism. for provoking the cutting.y movement and for restoring the cutters toy their open inactive position.

The rst requirement is satisiied in that the A relatively weak. spring' edges I (Fig. 8 or 4) of one of the slits 8 of the feeler sleeve 'I and the edges I3 of the adjacent side of the gap I4 of the insert I3 are formed as cutting edges while on the diametrally opposite side the edges Il, I3" of the two. elements are rounded or chamferedtc permit gripping of the cut oif end of the weft thread B between the sleeve 'I and the insert I3, by rotation of the insert with respect to the sleeve.

The rotation ofthe insert I3 is provoked by ari-element which is actuated by the driving pawl 231 and: engages behind a cross pin I1 of the insert. I3, said pin projecting from the feeler. The rotatable. elementis in this case a double-armed lever I8. articulated sidewise on a pivot I9 of the .i through an aperture 24 into. the path' of movement of the'feeler 'I, I3 (Figs. l andV 6). In the arrangement illustrated the projection:v 23 is a pin which, when the'- cutting feelerv meets the shuttle 4 and the. driving pawl 23 is.v rocked. by

'the slay I, strikes the end ofy the: insert I-3.

Thereby engagement of the driving pawl .23` with the catch tooth22 and consequent-ly theactuating of the weft cutters by the; controllever I8 is prevented, as the pawl 231 does notmeet this lever andV doesnot rock it. In.the.:contrary case, i. e. when the feeler passes through the gate. 5 of the shuttle 4, thepin 23; of the drivingpawl 23, rocked by the abutting slay I, penetrates through the aperture. 24 ofl thev shuttle. feeler 9 into its hollow borewhereupon. owing to the action of the'slay the pawl 2,3 swings the lever I8 and, by rotating theinsert I3 with respect tothe sleeve "I actuates the weft-cutters;

In order to bring the cutters totheir initial position, when the slits 8 of the sleeve I of the feeler are aligned with-.the gap I4 of. the insert I3, advantage is taken of the rocking.l cross. pin I1 ofthe insert, in cooperation with a stationary abutment -for they depressed position of the control feeler or shuttle feeler (Figs. l` and 3). The arrangement may be for example, such that on a suitable'. place of the frame of the machine is situatedan abutment 25 against which strikes the pin I'I of the insert. I3 of; the feeler,` when the shuttle feeler is depressed to the position shown inv dotted; lines in Fig. 1ir whereby backward rotation of` the insert, openingv of the cutters and` releasing of the weft thread 5, gripped until now, is obtained. As it appears from Fig: 4 of the drawing, the grippingv of. the weft'` thread, asalready' stated, takes place immediately by the elements of the, cutters, without use ofi any additional elements, by resilient action of the forked. portion of the4 insert I3'. This arrangement has the advantage.. thatv during' return movement of the cutting elements tok the initial inactive position shown in Fig. 8 the edge, shown in Fig. 4 above, of the gap I4 of the insert,.pushes the possible` rests of' the weftthread outr of the sleeve 'I so that such rests which would aiect the function of the cutters, cannot.l be caught or gathered in the cutters as it was'the case upto now.

My new device operates` as follows:

When the bobbin of the shuttle` is exhausted and a customary electrical 'or mechanical weft feeler (not shown in the drawing) induces the replenishment of a fullbobbin, myV new control and cutting feeler is raised by a conventionally used mechanism from the normally lowered position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 into a substantially vhorizontal position shown in full lines in which position the front face of the driving pawl 23 linked to the shuttle feeler 9 and actuating the push rod 2| for the transfer hammer 33'opposes the front edge of the lay I. Asshown in Fig. 1 the weft cutter composed of the members 'I, `I3 is telescopically mounted for limited axial displacement protruding from the front y end of the shuttle feeler 9 and (penetrates freely an opening 22 in the front box plate 2 and a slot 5 in the front wall of the shuttle 4 when the same is properly boxed between the box plates 2, 3. In such position the weft thread 6 traverses freely the slits 8, I4 of the cutter parts 'I and I3, respectively, without being engaged by their cutting edges 1', I3', and their clamping edges I, I3. When thereafter the forward moving lay I contacts with its front edge the driving pawl 23 the same is rocked in clockwise direction until it engages the catch tooth 22 of the lever I8 and causes said lever I8 to swing about its pivot I9 turning the actuating lever I1 of the inner cutting member I3 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. This inner cutting member I3 while turning within the outer cutting member 1 (see Fig. 4) causes first a clamping of the weft 6 between the gripping edges or jaws 1", I3 thereof and thereafter a cutting of the weft 6 by the outing edges 1', I3. The driving pawl 23 in its forward movement takes along the catch tooth 22 of the lever I8 until said pawl reaches and engages the catch tooth 22 of the tubular push or starter rod 2I for .the swingable transfer hammer 33 which pushes in customary manner a full bobbin from the magazine into the shuttle 4, at the same time ejecting the empty bobbin` As shown in the drawing said tubular push or starter rod 2l houses telescopically the shuttle feeler 9 which again houses telescopicallyv the cutter members 7, I3 at its forward end.

The cut off end of the weft thread 6 emerging |from the cloth selvedge is held by the said gripping edges 1", I3, until the telescoping control feeler after completed replenishment is returned into its lowered rest position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. At the end this return movement the actuating lever II strikes against the stationary abutment 25 and is turned anticlockwise so that the inner cutter member I3 returns into itsI non-operative position shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and the end of the weft thread B is released by the gripping edges I, I3". Thereafter, the telescoping control feeler will remain in this lowered rest position until a new impulse from the customary weft feeler raises the same into its horizontal working position as described before.

Should the shuttle 4 before replenishment occupy an incorrect position in the shuttle box as illustrated in Fig- 5 then the telescopic control and cutting feeler is raised upon an impulse from the weft feeler but the shuttle 4 on its forward movement with the lay I meets with its solid front wall the frontal buifer flanges I5 of the inner cutting member I3 and displaces the same in axial direction against the force of the f weak spring 26 prior to the moment when the front edge of lay I will contact the front face of the pawl 23. The pawl 23 is thereafter prevented by locking means from operating the actuating means for the weft cutter and from engaging the starter rod 2| actuating the transfer hammer 33. Said locking means in the shown embodiment comprise an arresting pin 23 which is integral with the pawl 23. This arresting pin 23 will contact the rear portion I6 of the inner cutting member I3 and will prevent the pawl 23 from being turned by the forward moving lay I and from engaging the catch teeth 22, 22' of the lever I8 and of the shuttle feeler 9, respectively. 'I'hus the shuttle feeler 9 will slide into the tubular push rod 2| against the force of the weak spring 21 and the push rod 2I remaining at rest will not actuate the transfer hammer 33.

It is obvious from the foregoing description that my new control cutting feeler occupies owing to its compact design, a very limited space;

being formed of tubular elements it also has aV Very low Weight and consequently also low inertia mass. As its movement does not actuate the driving pawl 23 the mass of this pawl and of other parts is not added to the mass of the cutting feeler. The driving pawl 23 is brought to its engagement position only by the action provoked by the lay I.

It will be understood that the meshing pin 23 may be as well arranged on the end of the insert I3 of the feeler. The,` driving pawl 23 would then be provided with a control gate which in the advanced position of the cutting feeler would permit the pawl to be raised and in the depressed position, when the said pin would be situated outside this gate, the pawl would be forced to miss the catch tooth 22 so that the function would remain unchanged. Likewise the drive of the cutting feeler may be carried out in a different way. Furthermore the end of the control feeler may be rectangularly enlarged to permit use of the existing shuttles with large control gate, and other modifications may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. A device for the control of the shuttle position and for cutting the weft thread in bobbin changing automatic looms having a lay, a shuttle reciprocable thereon and a transfer hammer, said device comprising in combination a push or starter rod actuating said transfer hammer; a shuttle feeler telescopically mounted in said starter rod; a weft cutter telescopically mounted in the shuttle feeler at the operating end thereof; actuating means for said weft cutter; a pawl oscillatingly mounted on the shuttle feeler and actuated by the lay; said pawl operating said actuating means for said weft cutter and engaging said starter rod when the shuttle feeler enters the shuttle; and locking means cooperating with said pawl to prevent the same from operating said actuating means for said weft cutter and from engaging the starter rod when the shuttle feeler is prevented from entering the shuttle.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the weft cutter comprises a non-rotatable sleeve .mounted for axial displacement in the shuttle feeler and a basically cylindrical insert rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a longitudinally extending gap in said insert and a pair of opposing slits in the sleeve, said gap and said slits adapted to receive the weft thread when in registering position and provided with mutually cooperating cutting edges for the weft thread.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the weft cutter comprises a non-rotatable sleeve mounted for axial displacement in the shuttle feeler andi a basically cylindrical insert rotatably mounted. in. said,I sleeve, a longitudinally extending gap in said insert and af. pairv of` 0pposing slits in the sleeve, said gap and slits adapted to receive the weft thread when in registeringf position andl provided With mutually cooperating cutting edges for the weft thread and with` mutually cooperating, gripping edges to hold the end. of the cut weft thread.

4. A- device according to claim 2 comprising Y -said arm to turn thesame and said insert relative to said sleeve.

5. A- devi'cefaccording to claim 1 wherein said locking` means comprise aprojection extending from saidv pawl into:` the path of the weft cutter within the; shuttle-feder.

vLADIsLAv DIVSEK.

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